Mar
18
A refreshing insight – Kenya special focus
Posted at 11:36 in Customer News : Mars Team news
In the last issue of refresh, we gave an insight into our Brighter Tomorrow at Origin revitalisation initiative in Kenya – origin of the much loved FLAVIA Kenya coffee.
One of the projects involved helping to train 1,700 farmers in best practice coffee farming.
At Mars Drinks, we are focused on providing the highest quality products. Understanding as much as possible about the source of our drink ingredients is a key element of this.
To help our associates experience the coffee farming process first hand, we are keen for people from different areas of our business to visit the cooperative we work with – spending time with the farmers and their families at work and at home.
In November 2009, Mars Drinks associates from around the world were invited to apply to take part in a five day trip to Kenya with a focus on learning more about the local economy and ecology, as well as the future of coffee in the area.
The activity forms part of the Mars Ambassador Programme (MAP) which gives Mars associates the opportunity to show their
personal commitment to making a difference to people and the planet.
Five lucky Mars Drinks associates were chosen – from different countries around the world including Japan, North America,
Germany and job disciplines encompassing Operations through to Research & Development and Account Management.
During the trip, the Mars Drinks team was able to meet with everyone involved in the cooperative initiative.
One key element was seeing the difference between farming approaches in Kenya. Our associates were amazed by the positive enhancements in those farms managed by farmers who have benefited from training from Mars Drinks and the Rainforest Alliance.
This was a highly successful trip, with our associates bringing back a wealth of information and an insight into the source of one of our much loved coffees, including the local farming and cultivation processes.
With this knowledge, we’ll ensure we continue to provide you with the best quality range of drinks from sustainable sources, which you can enjoy knowing you’re supporting those at their very origin.
To find out more about our sustainable drinks and practices, visit our Mars Drinks Sustainability website.
